Committee Description

The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), established in 2000, is a vital advisory body within the UN Economic and Social Council, dedicated to ensuring Indigenous voices are heard and their rights protected on the international stage. Indigenous Peoples across the globe face a range of systemic challenges, including land dispossession, cultural erosion, health disparities, and the growing threats posed by climate change. This committee aims to raise awareness, promote cross-border collaboration, and influence international policy to better reflect the values, traditions, and rights of Indigenous communities.

This year’s committee will focus on developing national and international strategies that address the structural roots of Indigenous marginalization. Delegates will examine how historical injustices—such as settler colonialism, forced assimilation, and legal disenfranchisement—continue to impact Indigenous populations today. Solutions will aim to break intergenerational cycles of inequality through transformative policies that restore agency, leadership, and narrative control to Indigenous peoples.

The committee will also explore how access to education, healthcare, housing, and clean water can be improved through systems that are culturally inclusive and community-led. Delegates are encouraged to question current models of social services that often fail to incorporate Indigenous knowledge, and to propose alternatives that promote long-term sustainability and resilience.

Legal recognition and justice remain central to this year’s discussions. Delegates will consider how Indigenous legal traditions and treaty rights can be meaningfully embedded within existing national and international legal frameworks. By focusing on legal pluralism and sovereignty recognition, the committee will work toward redefining governance in a way that empowers Indigenous participation and self-determination.

As the committee convenes to address these urgent issues, delegates are expected to engage in collaborative, innovative, and respectful dialogue that centers Indigenous leadership and lived experience. The ultimate goal is to create comprehensive, actionable resolutions that prioritize Indigenous autonomy and ensure their thriving in an increasingly interconnected world.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Joshua Kertesz at gaecosoc@ssuns.org

Emma Ristic

Co-Chair

Chloe Luu

Vice Chair